WEDNESDAY, MArch 9, 2016 VOLUME XI ISSUE NO.5 Q r2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com P 8 | FOOTBALL P 24 | MOTORSPORT ROARING RAYYAN EVERGREEN CHAMPION! QATAR’S FIRST The Lions register a thumping win Italian MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi, ENGLISH SPORTS over Al Wakrah to lift the league who is as exuberant as a teenager, WEEKLY shield after a gap of 21 years. believes he can win more titles. FOLLOW US P 20 | POSTER AL RAYYAN QATAR STARS LEAGUE CHAMPIONS The US seems to have perfectly executed its game plan of making Gianni Infantino the FIFA chief and stopping Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa from assuming power. PAGES 12-13 DSP EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW P 6 | FOOTBALL ‘Focus must be on creating strong sports culture’ DSP illustration/ Joice Michael Joice DSP illustration/ UK £1, Europe €2 | Oman 200 Baisas | Bahrain 200 Fils | Egypt LE 2 | Lebanon 3,000 Livre | Kuwait 250 Fils | Morocco Dh 6 | UAEDh 5 | Yemen 75 Riyals | Sudan 1 Pound | KSA 2 Riyals | Jordan 500 Fils | Iraq $1 | Palestine $1 | Syria LS 20 Wednesday, March 9, 2016 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com 3 EXCITEMENT NOW JUST A TOUCH AWAY OutlookThe writer can be contacted at [email protected] Rayyan’s runaway win must be eye-opener to football bosses ĈĈThe one-horse race shows how Lions, all fell by the wayside. too relied heavily on naturalised players at the weak our league competition is Under Michael Laudrup, Lekhwiya had lost only expense of homegrown boys. two games last time, but they’ve already suffered I’m really worried about our youngsters. What’s T’S with mixed feelings that I look at Al Rayyan’s seven defeats this season. Jaish were held last the message they’re getting? Is it the right envi- Qatar Stars League triumph. I’m extremely week by lowly Mesaimeer. ronment for them to prosper? What exactly are Ihappy for them because they ended their long Sadd, boasting Xavi Hernandez in their ranks, we conveying to the outside world? Where’re the wait for the shield in an emphatic manner, but I continue to be clueless while Gharafa once again fans of teams other than Rayyan? can only sympathise with a neutral fan for feeling lost their way and are currently in the bottom half. We wanted our league to develop players for tired of the lopsided competition. Another team Qatar SC, who finished fourth last our national teams in a sustainable way. But have Rayyan, who spent last season in the Second time and won the best management award, are we yet streamlined our system? I’ve my doubts. Division, rebuilt the team on their comeback into in the relegation zone. I’m sure the stakeholders are also a bit confused. the top flight. Hardcore fans would perhaps call Big investments went into the rebuilding of insti- They must sit together and review how much we’re their campaign a fairytale run as they sealed the tutional teams Lekhwiya and Jaish, and the aim was gaining from our league, one of the most expen- title by winning 20 of the 21 matches. to raise Qatar football’s standard and impress at sive competitions in the region. But for the discerning, the one-horse race showed the Asian level. Both relied heavily on naturalised how weak our league is. As a contest, it was over players, which meant Qataris got lesser opportu- even before the halfway mark as rivals stuttered nities, thereby destroying what was more or less and Rayyan steadily increased their lead atop. a level playing field. The move also demoralised Lekhwiya had started the season as the strong- players and fans of traditionally-strong sides like est contenders and El Jaish, Al Sadd, Al Gharafa Rayyan, Sadd and Gharafa. Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi and Rayyan potential challengers. But except the Rayyan are on top now, but unfortunately they Editor-in-Chief Reforms will help FIFA The 18-year-old caught the put crises behind attention by scoring two goals on INBOX his debut when United routed FIFA seemed to have taken some Denmark’s Midtjylland in the steps in the right direction when it Europa League. He then proved Editor-in-Chief Dr Ahmed Al Mohannadi P.O. Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar approved a series of reforms in its it was no flash in the pan by com- Tel: +974 44138065, Fax: +974 44138597 bid to put a myriad of crises and ing up with another brace in their Managing Editor Kumar Ravi WEDNESDAY, MArch 2, 2016 VOLUME XI ISSUE NO.4 Q r2.00 www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com P 6 | FOOTBALL P 22 | TENNIS FIVE-STAR RAYYAN SLOW AND STEADY Doha Stadium QATAR’S FIRST Al Rayyan edge closer to the Qatar Spaniard Carla Suarez Navarro beats scandals behind ( victory over Arsenal in the English Senior Editor/Writer ENGLISH SPORTS Stars League title with a 5-0 drubbing Latvian teenager Jelena Ostapenko Aswin Abraham of reigning champions Lekhwiya. to win the Qatar Total Open. WEEKLY Editorial: Tel: +974 44138522, Fax: +974 44138593 FOLLOW US Senior Sports Writer Plus, March 2). Premier League. N Ganesh e-mail: [email protected] Sports Writers The main among them — intro- Morris Gent, Doha. Sajith B Warrier Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Mohammad Amin-ul Islam e-mail: [email protected] ducing a 36-member council instead Sarath Pookkat Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 of the present 24-strong Executive Go Wawrinka, go! e-mail: [email protected] Photographers Mohan Committee and term limits for its Gianni Infantino outscores Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa in crucial areas and wins the the right to lead a new-look FIFA. president as well as other senior Stan Wawrinka is having a good Vinod Divakaran PAGES 10-13 Fadi Al Assaad officials — are sure to help foot- time of late. The Swiss tennis ace DSP SPECIAL STORY P 29 | VOLLEYBALL P 25 | MOTORSPORT P 20 | POSTER Mohammed Dabboos Italian Piazza ball’s world governing body repair annexed the Dubai crown for his ANTOINE Qatar’s Abdulaziz takes charge as Qatar coach GRIEZMANN all set for Mexico Rally AFP/ Fabrice Coffrini AFP/ Fabrice Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution A K BijuRaj UK £1, Europe €2 | Oman 200 Baisas | Bahrain 200 Fils | Egypt LE 2 | Lebanon 3,000 Livre | Kuwait 250 Fils | Morocco Dh 6 | UAEDh 5 | Yemen 75 Riyals | Sudan 1 Pound | KSA 2 Riyals | Jordan 500 Fils | Iraq $1 | Palestine $1 | Syria LS 20 its damaged reputation. second title this season, after Publishers: ASPIRE Printing, Graphic Designers Abhilash Chacko Nick Ogilvy, Doha. Chennai Open (Doha Stadium P O Box: 24598, Doha, Qatar. Publishing and Distribution Plus Marketing & advertising: Tel: +974 44138566 Gopakumar K Printed at ASPIRE Printing Press , March 2). Joice Michael I hope the 30-year-old, who has e-mail: [email protected] www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus Star in the making Technical support Shaheen Mohammed two Grand Slam wins to his credit but Distribution: Tel: +974 44138535/36, Fax: +974 44138597 www.facebook.com/dohastadiumplusqatar e-mail: [email protected] Abdul Naser M www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar Manchester United forward Marcus has remained mostly as an undera- Rashford looks to have all the qual- chiever in his career, will’ve a good www.facebook.com/dohastadium www.twitter.com/dohastadiumplus www.flickr.com/photos/dohastadiumplusqatar © Stories and photographs appearing in this publication may not be reproduced without the permission of ities of a superstar in the making time this year. ASPIRE Printing, Publishing and Distribution. (Doha Stadium Plus, March 2). Chaminda Pereira, Doha. Wednesday, March 9, 2016 | www.dohastadiumplusqatar.com 3 OutlookThe writer can be contacted at [email protected] Rayyan’s runaway win must be eye-opener to football bosses ĈĈThe one-horse race shows how Lions, all fell by the wayside. too relied heavily on naturalised players at the weak our league competition is Under Michael Laudrup, Lekhwiya had lost only expense of homegrown boys. two games last time, but they’ve already suffered I’m really worried about our youngsters. What’s T’S with mixed feelings that I look at Al Rayyan’s seven defeats this season. Jaish were held last the message they’re getting? Is it the right envi- Qatar Stars League triumph. I’m extremely week by lowly Mesaimeer. ronment for them to prosper? What exactly are Ihappy for them because they ended their long Sadd, boasting Xavi Hernandez in their ranks, we conveying to the outside world? Where’re the wait for the shield in an emphatic manner, but I continue to be clueless while Gharafa once again fans of teams other than Rayyan? can only sympathise with a neutral fan for feeling lost their way and are currently in the bottom half. We wanted our league to develop players for tired of the lopsided competition. Another team Qatar SC, who finished fourth last our national teams in a sustainable way. But have Rayyan, who spent last season in the Second time and won the best management award, are we yet streamlined our system? I’ve my doubts. Division, rebuilt the team on their comeback into in the relegation zone. I’m sure the stakeholders are also a bit confused. the top flight. Hardcore fans would perhaps call Big investments went into the rebuilding of insti- They must sit together and review how much we’re their campaign a fairytale run as they sealed the tutional teams Lekhwiya and Jaish, and the aim was gaining from our league, one of the most expen- title by winning 20 of the 21 matches.